Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has called on President Akufo-Addo not to shirk his responsibility regarding the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF).

According to Mr Nketia, the outstanding amount yet to be disbursed to various areas has stagnated development in parts of the country.

Mr Nketia believes that releasing these funds will be critical to ensuring that development reaches all facets of society, including local economies in districts, municipalities, metropolitan areas.

“This is why we asked the government to immediately release outstanding funds due to the Metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to allow the local government functionaries to perform their functions as expected.”

“Even in the dying moments when Nana Addo is on the cross, he can do one thing, to secure some clemency, by releasing the district assemblies common fund and all other funds, so that we can pray for him,” he said on Monday, January 8, 2023.

The District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) was created to transfer financial resources from the central government to local governments (MMDAs).

Meanwhile, flagbearer of the opposition NDC John Mahama has promised to raise the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) from the existing 5% to 7% if he emerges victorious in the 2024 elections.

The former President made this commitment in Bole after casting his vote in the district assembly elections.

Mr Mahama emphasised that increasing the district assembly common fund would be one of the steps his government would take to enhance local governance.

“If God smiles on us, and we win the 2024 elections, we are going to take decentralization seriously, the rest of the ministries seriously, and the rest of the MMDAs that are still centralized. We are going to complete the decentralization so that we truly hand over power to the people at the local government level. Until we get our decentralisation right, Ghana is not going to go anywhere, and so we are going to take it seriously.”

“We are going to make sure that District Common Fund disbursement increases from 5% to 7%, as enforced in 2016, and that the District Assemblies Common Fund is going to be regular so that districts can take advantage of it to increase the pace of their development. So, for those who haven’t voted, please go to the polling stations and select your assembly members,” Mr. Mahama said.